Maybe Next Time
by Kuku3
Summary: It's a long wait. She thought when he's finally back in the town, she'd confess. But life is not easy and not everyone decides to wait. Just please read okay :(
1. Chapter 1

_Hi. I am just another Bleach maniac. This is a little something I've written. _

_A one-shot methinks. :3 _

_However, I don't like pairing Ichigo with anyone else, I just needed some other girl apart from Hime. _

_IchiHime! Yay! 3 _

_Enjoy?_

All the characters in the story belong to Kubo Tite. :(

How many years it has been from that dreadful night? From those dreadful days? From everything his nakama and he had to go through? Just how much time has passed since he was contented with his life?

All these thoughts were in his head, Ichigo stood there in silence, smiling to himself looking at his girlfriend playing with a bunch of kids.

"Quite a sight, huh?"

He turned to look for the owner of the voice. That voice. It had been 10years since he heard **that** voice.

"Uh… Hi Inoue!"

"Hello Kurosaki-kun. It has been quite a while. How are you?" she smiled.

He just stared at her for a few minutes, memories rushing back to his head. Middle school, High school, Hueco Mundo, Soul Society, Royal Realm, Hell. The feeling whenever she saw him and beamed a smile, a smile only for him, the way her eyes grew wide when she was talking about her fantasies.

Those eyes.

He took a moment and looked at her. She was still the drop dead gorgeous girl he knew. But something was not right. That smile was not the same, her eyes… looks like she has been crying everyday. Looks like she has been waiting, a long wait. Like when she was in Hueco Mundo. Like she was waiting for someone to protect her, to save her. Like she's tired.

"Kurosaki-kun….?"

"Uh.. yeah Inoue. I am good. How are you?"

"I am glad Kurosaki-kun is healthy and happy." She smiled again. _Yeah, that's the smile I was looking for. _"I am alright."

'She anything but alright.' He thought.

"So when do you plan to ask her?"

Her question brought him out of his thoughts. Ask whom what? He frowned at her.

"Who? What are you talking?"

She looked towards his girl friend.

"Ask Senna to marry you? You will ask her, right?"

He sure was planning to ask Senna soon, but how did Orihime know. Why does she look so sad, what is bothering her. He frowned a little harder at her, trying to read her. She looked in pain. He wanted to put her out of that pain, he felt restless.

"Yeah. I guess."

She smiled at him. He noticed, unshed tears in her eyes. Why was it that it hurt to see her like this.

"Kurosaki-kun deserves the best. Senna will definitely make an amazing wife to you."

"What's the matter Inoue? Have you been sleeping regularly?"

"Uh huh… I have healthy sleeping habits, Kurosaki-kun."

She's lying.

"So… what's going on with you? Surely you might have a boyfriend right?"

"Me? Boyfriend?" She laughed nervously, "No Kurosaki-kun… I am not that fortunate when it comes to love. But I am just fine and happy."

"You don't look so happy. And I can't believe you don't have a boyfriend. Just how many people were crazy about you back in high school."

_**She looked down at the ground, thinking she could break anytime soon. She didn't want to look him in the eye. It would just make her love for him stronger and painful at the same time. It had been more than a decade and feelings for him never went away. The depression, pain, angst grew rapidly. Every day, she would get up, put up a very believable smile and spend the rest of the day at her work. Sure there were guys who asked her out and she would always say no. On the way back home, she would always stop by the river side remembering him. **_

_**Hoping for him to come back.**_

_**Hoping to see him.**_

_**Hoping to confess her feelings when he'd be back.**_

_**Hoping for him to return her feelings.**_

_**Hoping to get married to him. **_

_**Hoping to be the mother of his children. **_

_**It was Tatsuki who told her that Ichigo had returned. What she felt was beyond happiness. She was preparing herself to see him, preparing whatever she thought to say it out loud. But what she heard next from her best friend's mouth shattered her being. **_

"… _**But he came with his girlfriend."**_

_**She told Tatsuki everything that she would finally confess and put an end to her waiting**_.

_**Tears flowed out of her eyes, uncontrollably. She hugged Tatsuki tightly and cried her eyes out. Cried till she was sore. **_

_**Since that day, since that fateful day three months ago, she'd been crying. **_

_**Crying every night because she couldn't help it. **_

_**Crying every night because she was jealous.**_

_**Crying every night because she had no one. **_

_**Crying every night because Ichigo was finally here and she couldn't face him. **_

_**Crying every night because the pain was unbearable. **_

_**Crying every night because she had to pretend that everything was okay even if it wasn't.**_

_**Crying every night because she ran out of time, he was with someone else.**_

_**Crying every night because it was just too late. **_

_**Today seeing him in the park, standing alone, she couldn't stop her heels walking towards him. **_

_**She never expected him to return her feelings, true. But seeing him with another girl, just shattered her broken heart into a thousand more pieces. **_

"Inoue, Are you alright?"

She laughed nervously. And said "Yeaaah…yeah. Sorry, I guess I spaced out. No I don't have a love life."

"That couldn't be true, No guy stole your heart?"

"Uh..huh! There was one guy. But never mind, I never hoped him to return my love. He's happy with his life and I'm very happy that he's happy."

"So you were in love with this guy? Does he know?"

"Uh… no! He does not."

"Why don't you tell him, I'm sure he would want to be with you."

"No. I can't. You see, he can never be with me."

"Why?"

"Because, it's too late."

"What do you mean?"

"He's with someone else. The girl is very lucky Kurosaki-kun. In fact, she might just be the happiest girl ever."

"The guy's an ass to not notice you ever. I'm sorry Inoue, I wish I could help."

"There's nothing to be sorry about. It's fine. I'm really glad he found someone to share his life with."

"But…What about you?"

"I'll be fine on my own. You see, I'll be travelling around so my mind would be off of him." She smiled.

"Travel around?"

"Oh…right! Kurosaki-kun doesn't know! I'm leaving the country tomorrow."

"What? Where are you going then?"

"I don't know. I'll just book the cheapest ticket available."

"Are you trying to run away?"

"No."

"Looks like that to me though. You know I'm there for you, Inoue."

"No. You're not."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Kurosaki-kun… don't be silly. You have a girl friend to protect now. I'll be fine wherever I am. Besides, I have Five other lifetimes to be with him and I'll make sure I don't miss my chance then" she grinned.

"I'll always protect you, Inoue."

"Let's end that deal here." Her hands found his cheeks; his eyes grew wide at her move. Tears sliding down her cheek, she smiled at him and said "I'm glad you are very happy, you deserve it. Goodbye Kurosaki-kun. Thank you for being my hero."

She left. He was standing there alone trying to comprehend what happened. What her words meant. He stood there in silence until his girlfriend came up to him. She kissed him on his cheek.

"Ichigo. Who was that girl?"

"An old friend."

"She looked so sad."

He looked at his girl friend.

"I don't know Senna. She just told me goodbye."


	2. Reply to 'Guest'

dear guest,

What a lovely review.

I just want to say.. that...

You will be a filthy slut for life. :)

Do not trash Orihime. Not when you leave a review on my account. On, One. Of. My. Stories.

Ship Whatever pair you want, i don't give a fuck.

I'm not known to be a kind person. So you better not say anything about her. :)

I. Will. Not. Be. This. Kind. The. Next. Time.

.

.

Not that i care, but fuck off already.

Be kind not to leave another of your stupid comments. -_-

Laters.


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